Summerset Abbey (Summerset Abbey, #1)

by T. J. Brown

[layawaydragon]

CW: Rape (in the past), Classist Elitism, Gender discrimination

2.5 stars: For unlikable characters and an obvious plot that dragged. The epilogue killed me and any enjoyment I felt previously.

I received this book for free from a giveaway but I can’t pinpoint the email where anymore. Sorry.

I have not watched Downtown Abbey so I can’t say yay or nay on that score. For me, reading an occasional historical novel makes the time come alive and there's often fascinating tidbits to be found.

However, none of that is really found here. Maybe I was disinterested and didn’t notice. But as it wore on I definitely found myself automatically skimming. Characters, setting, and drama felt standard while the mystery was obvious with heavy-handed foreshadowing.

Characters:

This was rough. Most are unlikable self-centered spoiled brats with nothing to do but drink and flirt. There were two bright spots are both are sobering and sad in different ways.

I did not like Rowena. She’s so disappointing. She started out promisingly but all her resolved dissolved as soon as she left her home. She kept whining about responsibilities but she had none. She didn’t do right by anyone and she only came alive for a man. She’s a suffragette? How pathetic.

She can talk a big game to her “lessers” but damn if she says anything when it matters. She isn’t even that thankful of her position in life or her privileged class. She betrays everything and everyone she supposedly stands for. And I’m supposed to assume it’s over grief? Sounds like she’s mourning her innocence when forced out into her shark tank of a society that devours each other and terrorizes those below them on the food chain.

Victoria was my second fav in the whole book. She is lively and tries to set things right. She cares and follows through. She doesn’t quite have a whole plan since she’s idealistic, stubborn, and passionate but she’s the only one doing a damn thing. Ro lays down to die while Pru tries to save herself and Vic tries to right grievous wrongs.

Prudence was the best until the whiplash ending. Dear lord, did she catch the stupid from Ro? What happened to sticking it to them and making her own way? Such a fucking cop out. It’s sad and hard to believe anyone would 1.) Say yes and 2.) She’d go through with it. What was she thinking? Now she’s stuck, which is the exact opposite of what she wants.

Elaine is a little two-face spoiled brat that tows the family line and takes after her mother. Her talk is nothing but bluster and she runs gleefully into meaningless rebellions like she’s got a case of affluenza. Worthless except the drive the sisters to distraction and keep tabs.

The Boys: Found them bland and pointless distractions. There was no swooning but much eye-rolling.



Historical Setting:

There’s plenty of historical details, particularly for fashion and home décor. Meh. What I could picture went off without a hitch. I’m not in love with the aesthetic though and on principle reject their social mores. I love when it’s subversive and shows how people maneuvered to survive but the latter only applies to Pru and the former to their father’s household.



I did like how society at large, the changes, the push-pull of generations, technology, and class were brought into it. I wish it wasn’t so background to their petty bullshit. I couldn’t let go and enjoy their gluttony and pernicious luxury. None of the well-to-do were positive, socially conscious people who tried to change anything. They’re clueless Edwardian frat boys and girls.

Plot:

The “shocking reveal” was anything but and drawn out with petty drama, disconnected flirting and romance, I wish it picked up the pace. I knew nothing would happen until it was spelled out directly for our slow-witted and easily distracted protagonists. Which of course didn’t happen until the very end.



It was hammered on from the beginning, arriving at Summerset Abbey. Subtle it was not. Having the random spurts of Lady Summerset’s perspective also hurt this aspect. It was a good way to build her character but it honestly could’ve been done away with and executed differently that didn’t kill the mystery. It was supposed to had depth and tension but sloppily done assuming readers are as thick as the sister trio.

This might’ve been a duology without the tedious day to day. Usually I like that and the character progression that follows but I kept wishing for a fucking revolution to take off their heads.



Then the fucking epilogue pulled a 180 and shit on everything I liked. That’s when I went from “meh, I’ll check the next book for Vic and Pru when I’m in the mood for it” to “OMFG NO!”.

I’m worried about the next books since this is so…padded. Hmmm, maybe the wrong word but so much of it felt insubstantial and pointless. I couldn’t care less. It was so slow…

The only reason I haven’t completely ruled out the next book is the preview chapter for A Bloom in Winter with Vic. She’s still good and it seems to bring social issues to the forefront. But you better believe I’ll quit early on it if it’s more of the same with no improvement. We’ll see.